Myakka City Lemur Reserve
Myakka City Lemur Reserve is a reserve in Florida. This foundation bought 40 acres in rural Manatee County, Florida. The campus has since expanded to 120 acres, most of which serve as a buffer between LCF activity and surrounding agricultural land. The reserve encompasses diverse vegetation zones that range from freshwater marsh to scrub to oak-pine mixed forest. Two forests, each about 10 acres and each surrounded by a 13-foot fence, allow many of the 56 resident ring-tailed, red-ruffed, mongoose, brown, collared, and Sanford’s lemurs to range freely. Plantings of mango, passion fruit, guava, grapes, banana, persimmon, and bamboo supplement indigenous vegetation. This habitat invites authentic behaviors, improving breeding success and enabling scientific research and field training. With the on-site lemur population growing, LCF is planning a third forest, a palmetto prairie which LCF has seeded with oaks and pines. Within the main forest, the Reed and Barbara Toomey Lemur Pavilion provides space for food preparation and housing for lemurs in times of physical or environmental stress, such as hurricanes. It has eight climate-controlled indoor and outdoor enclosures. Serving a similar function in the second forest is the Marilyn K. North Lemur Lodge, which includes a dedicated veterinary room. Within the main forest, the Reed and Barbara Toomey Lemur Pavilion provides space for food preparation and housing for lemurs in times of physical or environmental stress, such as hurricanes. It has eight climate-controlled indoor and outdoor enclosures. Serving a similar function in the second forest is the Marilyn K. North Lemur Lodge, which includes a dedicated veterinary room. Outside the forests, the Michael & Jean Martin Quarantine Shelter allows LCF to isolate newcomers and breeding transfers. Although secondary to lemur conservation, the reserve's environmental stewardship extends to local habitats and wildlife. LCF wetlands contribute directly to the head waters of the Myakka River, and LCF has worked closely with the Army Corps of Engineers and the South West Florida Water Management District to ensure that construction on the reserve does not harm the extensive wetland system. Roaming the property is an incredible variety of insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, including river otters, indigo snakes, gopher tortoises, and great horned owls. The heart of human activity at the Myakka reserve is the Mianatra Center for Lemur Studies. It combines office and meeting space with the Anne & Walter Bladstrom Library. LCF’s eclectic holdings, from scientific journals to art, provide a holistic vision of conservation. Staff caretakers, interns, and visiting students and scientists can stay in one of three residences on or near the reserve: Fisher Caretaker’s Cottage, Tranosoa Myakka (Myakka Welcome House), and the Researchers’ House. If humans were to disappear, what will be the fate if the lemurs of this reserve? Life After People 1 day after people Power grids failed, causing lights and other stuff powered by fossil fuels to go out worldwide, even this reserve to shut its powers down. 25 years after people The descendants of planted mango, passion fruit, guava, grapes, banana, persimmon, and bamboo have naturalized and grew outside of the reserve and the descendants of all species of lemurs that were present in the reserve are still alive and flourishing without humans and some lemurs of each species have broke out of the reserve, becoming the next potential invasive species. 150 years after people The descendants of lemurs that broke out of the reserve have survived and spread throughout Florida's swamplands, marshes, and subtropical forests. The lemurs have become part of Florida's ecosystem. Category:Season 5 Category:Animals Category:Animal Species Category:Species Category:Wild Animals Category:Florida Category:Collapses Category:Animals That Survived Without Humans Category:Wildlife Reserves/Preserves